We have reinvestigated an earlier report of the presence of several novel cell-division promoting compounds in crown gall tumors. The use of droplet counter-current chromatography and 5Mu reverse phase HPLC has allowed for absolute purification of six structural isomers. The activity of these compounds in promoting cell division by inhibiting cAMP dependent protein kinases provides a new perspective on the growth and division in higher plant cells. The first step in understanding the role of these factors in cell division is their complete structural assignment. Spectroscopic methodologies have now been developed so that complete structure assignment can be made. These studies will permit an understanding of cell growth and division in higher plants at a molecular level and will enable a comparison to be made between the normal and tumorous states.